


The games we play

by dreamerbydawn



Series: Our little games [2]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Ian and Mickey looking out for each other, Idiots in Love, M/M, Sweetness Overload
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 13:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3694007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerbydawn/pseuds/dreamerbydawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a difference between lying because it's best for you and lying because it's best for someone you love. </p><p> At least Ian likes to think so.  Question is, does Mickey agree? </p><p> Sequel to Cheat Codes. (Not really necessary to read that first!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The games we play

 Fuck Connor! Or you know whatever name JimmyJackSteve is using this week.

 Ian has no idea what Fiona sees in him or why he's back in their house,  _again_ . But he should have probably kept shut and let Lip do the yelling, instead of trying to help get rid of the joker before he screwed his sister over for the hundredth time.

 It was too late for that of course and already, it was biting him in the ass. 

 He's not even sure how the conversation redirected to him, or why he had to admit there was a difference between lying because its best for you and lying because it's best for someone you care about; because that had led to this exact moment. 

 Mickey's expression was making Ian squirmish to the point where it didn't even register in his mind that the rest of the table was staring at him too.

 "When?" Mickey repeated at him a second time, his tone dark. 

 The red colouring of anger in his tone that came with the promised beatdown usually had no effect on Ian, this however, this spelled disaster in clear bold font.

 "Over... over a year ago" He finally managed to say, tone bleak as he pleaded "Does it really matter now?" 

 "Don't fuck with me Gallagher" Mickey warned, his voice barely holding steady. 

 Ian was the one person that Mickey had always trusted blindly, and for him to admit he had lied to him was making him almost physically sick. 

 "Can we at least go home first?" The younger boy asks in a small voice. 

 "Tell me" is all Mickey can say in return.

 He needs to know what the lie was before he starts questioning everything Ian has ever said or done.

 "It was one lie Mick...not even a lie really, Just -" Ian tries to beg off the topic, but his boyfriend wasn't having it. 

 "Ian, fucking spit it out" Mickey somehow manages to make it sound like an order even when blue eyes set on his partner were so clearly _begging_.

 Ian ducks his head, raking a hand through his hair and dragging it down his face, blunt nails scraping against skin. His siblings are staring, shameless in their curiosity and Jimmy looks so very relieved to be out of the spotlight and Ian wants to be mad, but mostly, he's just resigned as he simply sighs.

 "Remember when we were at the store and that one time I came in after Frank hit me?" Ian asks, not waiting for Mickey to nod and rushing on instead "I paid him to do that. I had him hit me so you'd fix it up, but it wasn't really lying... like he does it anyway, might as well do it once when I want him to right?"

 Fiona frowns and Lip's face contorts with disgust. Even Debbie looks incredulous and yeah it sounds pathetic, getting himself hit just so Mickey can patch him up but Ian wasn't done explaining and he avoids his lover's blank face for the moment.  

 "I knew you'd never let me check how badly Terry fucked you up unless it was just me returning the favor and I - I couldn't listen to that on the phone with Mandy and not even ask if you were okay the next day. I just wanted to know you were alright. I needed to make sure of - I had to be sure Mick. I'm really sorry"

 Ian's confession was quiet, but in the silence of the room it rang louder than a church bell. Mostly, the Gallaghers were reeling from what they'd just heard, not sure of what to make of it, but Ian was once again ignoring his family in favor of his boyfriend. 

 Mickey, however is not stupefied like the rest, but is still keeping his expression blank and it's starting to scare Ian. Playing a Milkovich was never a smart idea.

 "That the only time?" The other boy checks.

 "Yeah, only time. I promise" The redhead swears softly.

 "Right" Mickey nods, grabbing his fork from where he'd dropped it earlier and returns to shoveling food into his mouth.

 Ian isn't the only one holding his breath and the darkhaired Milkovich is halfway through chewing his food when he notices everyone still waiting on him.

 "I know you are used to people letting him walk after the shit he pulls with you, but you really think I wasn't gonna teach the fucking asshole a lesson? Or did you think fucking Frank of all people wasn't gonna squeal that you paid him to do it? How dumb are you firecrotch?" 

 The neutral question has Ian's jaw dropping and he stares dumbfounded at the other boy. There was no way Mickey was telling him what he thought he was. 

 "You knew?" He asks, disbelieving "You knew and you didn't punch me?"

 "Was fucking going to. Needed to know what that shit was about. Turned out I wasn't the only Milkovich in the mood for some ass kicking that night and by the time you sent the stupid ass text to meet you - I can put two and two together dipshit" Mickey answered, a hint of smile tugging at his lips. 

 Ian continued to stare stupidly. He had tried to get Mickey to let him help without letting him know he was worried and making a big deal out of it. But Mickey had _known_ , he'd known and he still showed up that time and every time after. He still let Ian in. 

 "Also, what did you think all the shots I fired at you the next day was about?" Mickey adds even as he returns his attention to his plate.

 Ian now thinks back to when the other boy had been an absolute prick, interrupting his training regime and making him start over more times than he cares to count. He'd thought it was just Mickey trying to cover up the weakness he had allowed himself earlier with typical asshole behavior, but now...

 "Thought you just liked to get me sweaty" Ian grins, picking up his own fork and returning to his usual confident self. It seemed like Mickey had already doled out the deserved punishment for being caught in a lie anyway "You seemed to be enjoying the view, taking aim and all that"

 "Wasn't a terrible view I guess" Mickey shrugs, the silent gratitude in the statement not missing Ian's notice.

 "Fuck off, i'm a great view" He teases, now intent to hurry up with finishing his dinner so he can get around to showing Mickey exactly how great a view he is when he's hot and sweaty.

 "What you are, is a smug fucking bastard" Mickey throws back, also grinning " _I'm_ a fucking great view"

 Oh, they were so on. They were getting out of the room in three minutes flat and they didn't care if everyone else hadn't caught up yet.

 The silence will die when the loud noises from upstairs start carrying down anyway.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I swear I was going to write Mickey finding out from Frank, but guess who sucks at writing Frank Gallagher? I do! So this is what happened instead. Hope it was alright...


End file.
